Here is a translation of the abstract of the study “The effect of training distinct neurofeedback protocols on aspects of cognitive performance”
Summary
The use of neurofeedback as an operant conditioning paradigm has shown that participants are able to gain some control over specific aspects of their electroencephalogram (EEG). Based on the link between theta activity (4-7 Hz) and working memory performance and between sensorimotor rhythm activity (SMR, 12-15 Hz) and attentional processing, we investigated the possibility that training healthy individuals to specifically increase one of these frequencies might have a specific impact on certain aspects of cognitive performance compared to a non-neurofeedback control group. The results showed that after eight neurofeedback sessions, the SMR group was able to selectively increase their SMR activity as evidenced by increased SMR/theta and SMR/beta ratios. In contrast, the subjects who were trained to selectively increase theta activity showed no changes in their EEG. In addition, the SMR group showed a significant and clear improvement in recall performance in a semantic working memory test and also improved to a lesser extent accuracy in focused attention processing in a 2-sequence continuous performance test task. These results suggest that healthy individuals can learn to increase a specific component of their EEG activity and that this increased activity can promote semantic processing in working memory tasks and, albeit to a lesser extent, focused attention. Possible mechanisms that could mediate these effects are discussed and several approaches for future research are outlined.
Translation of the abstract from: Vernon, D., Egner, T., Cooper, N., Compton, T., Neilands, C., Sheri, A. & Gruzelier, J. (2002). The effect of training distinct neurofeedback protocols on aspects of cognitive performance. PMID: 12543448, DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8760(02)00091-0.